"[Co-exec] Kevin Williamson and I, early in season 2 in fact, came up with the way we see the series ending," she confirmed.

"I think the question in a show like The Vampire Diaries is really how Damon, Elena, and Stefan's journey ends. We know how we want Elena's journey to end as it relates to both her character and her relationship with the two brothers, and how we want the brothers' relationship with each other to end."

Plec insisted that The Vampire Diaries will continue for as long as stars Ian Somerhalder (Damon), Nina Dobrev (Elena) and Paul Wesley (Stefan) are willing to stay with the series.

"That [series finale] could come in year 6, if [the actors] decided they were ready to move on, or it could come in year 10, you never know," she speculated.